Draft-rigging.



PATENTED OCT. 2, 1906.

0. A. TOWER. DRAFT meme. APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1905. RENEWED IEB.20.1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR mg 0. M

n I 1 1 E k l l I 1 WITNESSES No. 832,220. PATENTBD OUT. 2, 1906. C. A.TOWER.

DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14. 1905. RENEWED FEB. 20,1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Q j i' w m l m l i? E I l l WITNiSSES INVENTOR No- 832,220. PATENTEDOCT. 2, 1906.

O. A. TOWER. DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14. 1905. RENEWED PEB.'20,1906.

l illllillllll-llllllil WITNESSES INVENTOR 8 SEEETS-SHEET' 3.

' m D Smili P N OFFICE.

CLINTON A. TOWER, OF CLEVELAND,OHIO. ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MALLEABLECASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPO- RA'IIONv OF OHIO.

DRAFT-RIGGING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented octi'e, 1906.

Application filed July 14, 1905. Renewed February 20, 1906. Serial No.302,053.

To all whom, it TIMI/D concern:

Be it known that I, CLINTON A. TOWER, of Cleveland, Cuyahoga county,Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Draft-Rigging, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section, ofa draft-rigging constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section on the line II II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is anend'elevation, partly in section. Fig. 4. is a detail elevation, andFig. 5 is a front elevation, of the forked levers. Fig. 6 is a detailelevation of-the spring-seat, and Fig. 7 is a section on line VII VII ofFig. 6.

In the drawings, 2 represents the draw-bar. 3 is the yoke, which extendsrearwardly therefrom, and 4 5 are followers held, respectively, onopposite sides by means of the usual stops on the draftimbers, which maybe applied in the way in which stops are ordinarily apportions 10.

plied to the followers of draft-riggings. These followers are preferablystrengthened by ribs on their outer surfaces, and their inner surfacesare preferably vertical, having at their lower ends toothed portions 45.

6 7 are differential levers, which are set between the followers 4 5 andare forked, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, so as to pass the yoke and toextend outwardly and preferably vertically downward beyond the line ofthe drawbar. These levers meet at their upper end, and their faces,which are opposed to the followers, are preferably broad and arestrengthened by webs and flanges, as shown in the drawings, so as toprovide a strong broad bearing-surface against the followers. The leversdiverge somewhat from their upper end, and where they pass beyond theyoke they extend lengthwise thereof toward the front and back of theyoke. At their lower forked ends they are provided with seat portions BB, affording recesses against which the rear side of spring-seats 8 8have a rocking bearing. A spring or pair of springs 9 9 is interposedbetween the spring-seats, and the springs are traversed by a centralguiding-rod 101 This rod is preferably of star shape in cross-sectionand at the ends is pref erably formed with enlarged or oblong head Inadjusting the rod in place it is inserted lengthwise between the formedportions of the lower ends of the levers,'with the enlarged heads oroblong portions 10 ex tending parallel with :the divisions of the formedportions, and when thus inserted it is turned so as to bring saidenlarged ends atright angles to said lines of division, as shown in Fig.3, thus holding the rod and preventing it from endwise displacement.

When the draw-bar is subjected to 8. buff ing stress, it will move thefollower 4 rearwardly and acting on the lever 6 Wlll cause it to rock atthe point C, where it meets the other lever 7, this point serving as afulcrum. The spring is thus depressed, and the lever 7 is caused to rockto an equal extent in the opposite direction. As the levers thus movethe points of contact between the followers 4 and 5 and the respectivelevers will shift gradually toward the upper ends of the levers. Thisincreases the length of the long arm of the levers,which bear upon thesprings and shortens the short arms, which are between thecontact-points of the followers and the meeting point C. It thusincreases the effective resistance of the spring to the motion of thefollower as the buffing increases in force. Meanwhile the rear follower5 is held by its stops and affords the necessary resist ance to thebuffing action. In pulling the yoke draws the rear follower 5, and theforward follower 4 is held by its stops. When the draft-rigging operatesin pulling the cars, the action 's similar to that which takes place inbufling, for as the follower 5 advances its point of contact with thelever 7 and the point of contact of the lever 6 with the follower 4 moveupwardly, and the effective resistance of the spring is thus increased.

The advantages of my invention reside in its simplicity and greatstrength and durability. The parts are accessible for repair andinspection, and the device is generally satisfactory and able towithstand the rough prevent displacement of the rod, and a spring set onthe rod between the spring-seats; substantially as described.

2. A draft rigging having levers which meet at their inner ends, andthence extend divergingly and outwardly beyond the line of the draw-bar,spring-seats fitted at the forked ends of the levers, a rod passingthrough the spring-seats and having head portions adapted to be turnedand enga e the levers and to prevent displacement of t e rod, and aspring set on the rod between the springseats, said levers at the pointWhere they pass beyond the line of the draw-bar being extended inopposite direction lengthwise relatively thereto; substantially asdescribed.

3. A draft rigging having levers which meet at their inner ends, andthence extend divergingly and outwardly beyond the line of the draw-bar,spring-seats fitted at the forked ends of the levers, a rod passingthrough the spring-seats and having head portions adapted to be turnedand engage the levers and to prevent displacement of the rod, and aspring set on the rod between the sprin seats, said levers having aplain bearing-sur 'ace at their upper end and having a toothedbearing-surface against the followers; substantially as described.

4. A draft rigging having levers which meet at their inner ends, andthence extend divergingly and outwardly beyond the line of the draw-bar,spring-seats fitted at the forked ends of the levers, a rod passingthrough the spring-seats and having head portions adapted to be turnedand enga e the levers and to prevent displacement of t e rod, and aspring set on the rod between the spring-seats, said followers beingsubstantially vertical on their inner surfaces; substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CLINTON A. TQWER.

Witnesses:

HENRY F. POPE, HARRY E. ORB.

